The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-02-12

s'pose Gods forgave him; amt so
sure ez l hev, but 1 know Miss Hester
did years an years ago. Wall, Benjie,
I've let the cat out O. the bag fore ]
meant ter! God forgive me, eff I've
gone an done wrong in op'nin' yer
eyer ter yer fathers sins; but it's SO ye
ken profit by it, dear boy says I.
eyer aunt, she couldn't ha' tux ye
more gladly, eff ye'd ben yer weight in
gol'; an ye've paid yer way, so fur.
hanson, in the comfort you've ben ter
her. But now, Benjie, dunno! / dom
no! Here We be, a-callin' on purity
lively fur money-what's it furP An
on tother side, there's yer aunt ter
hum, a-skimpin' an savin' all her
might, like s she done fur yer father.
How're ye goin' ter pay her fort, Ben
jieP She amt 'zactly got ter sweetnin'
her tea with m'lasses, but she's mex
door to it-she's sol ole Whitley, an
now she hez ter foot it. Look ter yer
own heart, Benjie. Settle up this
matter square 'twixt God an yer con-
science.
"'NO, no. says I, ez he begun ter
speak, i won't hear nary word! ]
only come to warn We never ter dew
nothin' ter bring another ache ter Miss
Hester's heart, an edgin' towards the
door, I says, 'Mebbe this IL help We in
the squarin'-up,' an putin the bills in
his ham, l cut an run.
Zone evenin' bout a month arter
this, Benjie steps in pom us, all onex-
pected. Jes' ez Miss Hester wuz a-goin'
off ter bed, he SEE:
"'Aunt Hetty, set down a minute.
pve.got suthin' ter tell yer. I've lef
college fur good an ALL says he; AN
now, std o larnin' books, I'm a-goin
ter larn ter be man
"'No,' says he, answerin' the fright
in her eyes, 4 amt expelled; 1 lef' O.
my own free will. 1t come acrost me,
one day, like flash, what a greet lazy
lunk-head I'd ben, to take my
ease, an leave you hard ter
work here, pervidin' fur me. ]
knowed ez you'd be dis'pinted fust
long, Aunt Hetty dear, says he, but
l couldn't feel atom O respec fur my
self eff 1 let We keep me theer any
longer A lady you air, an alters hey
been, but these worn hans an this ole
gownd don't look like it. Gin me vel
blessin', Aunt Hetty,' says he, flu
hencefor'ard, says he, I'm a-goin' tel
be yer help, an not yer hindrance.
II never cal'lated ez he'd leave col
lege 'longo' my story; but his words
ringed' out sech true metal tibet | gil
hearty in'ard thanks tibet I'd ben thu
means o 'bringin' the las Stanwood bacl
ter his granther's good ole ruts. An
, Miss Hester-down she went on he
, knees, fur she knowed by Ben,ie'
manner ez 'twuzent no use ter pa fle,
with him; an though she's aler
| powerful prayer-gifted, she out-pr BYE,
herself then. Mex day, Benjie tCle u
5 his plans. Richard Cross, the chun II
been so foolish scat of, he'd got him
+ place in his fathers big consGrn il
New York, where Richard hisse WI
e a-goin when he wuz through college
e Wall, Benjie found hisself in his ele
t ment theer. Leetle by leetle, slew ant
n sure, he worked his way up, till, arte
, some years, ole Mr.. Cross took Richar
f an Benjie, tew, inter partnership Ion.
o hisself. An Benjie rained comfort
:, down on Miss Hester's head ez thick e
l. Benjamin he'd poured trouble. Arte
+ while, he married Richards sister
II an we larned ter like her, when W
e come to know her, jes' ez well ez {
=, she'd he'd fewer furbelows. She
}. growed to be reg'lar darter ter Mis-
e Hester.
e Il tell We, Beniie's three youngsteri
e an Richards tew, which seem e'en'
Il mos ez nigh, five dew make
s. fine racket roun' the ole house all til
10 summer through. Miss Hester sh
Is looks on, in her black silk gownd, {
is Benjie's delight, an when they come
e, a-lovin' an kissin' of her, an a-cal
ID in of her gran'ma, she's ez proud ez
n queen, an twic't ez happy. But IL
ir hes joke O. all is ter hear the hull k
h o. 'em UncIe-AmoS-i''g o. me-
III "Wall, l don bear Benjamen l
lie grudge, but dew say ez the bes' thir
3? he ever done wuz when he started I
e, an died, an lief Miss Hester h
le Legacy" - Emma j. Langley,
n Youths Companion.
e.
81 A Sculptor's Poverty.